


Burnin' Bridges

by MyJediLife



Category: Logan Lucky (2017), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Burnt bacon is a euphemism for sex, Clyde Logan Needs a Hug, Clyde Logan is a Good Boyfriend, Clyde Logan is a Sweetheart, Clyde Logan is the perfect man, Clyde's bacon, Eventual Romance, F/M, For bacon, I want bacon, Inappropriate use of bartops, Inappropriate use of stumps, Mutual Pining, Plaid shirts, Rey (Star Wars) is a Mess, Rey Needs A Hug, Rey is running from her past, Rey is thirsty, Slow Burn, Soft Clyde Logan, Southern Gentleman Clyde Logan, Southern nights - Freeform, SwoloFic, swolo fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-08
Updated: 2019-08-24
Packaged: 2020-06-24 21:51:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19732471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyJediLife/pseuds/MyJediLife
Summary: When Rey Sands needs to escape England, she throws a dart at a map and finds herself in Boone County, WV. She has a plan set in her head to disappear - but will a raven-haired Southern bartender ruin those plans?





	1. Makin' My Way

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Viridiantly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Viridiantly/gifts).



> My wonderful beta and moodboard Goddess: [Azuwrite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuwrite)! Please check out her works...
> 
> Part of the Plaid Paramour Collection for TWD
> 
> The prompt: "Clyde Logan falls for the cute new mechanic in town. What's a posh Brit city girl like Rey doing in Boone county?"
> 
> Hope I do it the justice it deserves ;)

[](https://imgur.com/C2AgAag)

Rey had a list for how to leave her life behind and start over.

1) Drain the joint bank account you shared with your ex.

2) Cash in your severance pay and retirement accounts.

3) Bounce between hotels. Pay in cash.

4) Decide where to disappear to.

5) Buy a plane ticket to somewhere far away from there.

6) Buy a car using cash. Drive to new location.

7) Forget about the life you left behind.

8) Figure out how to prove your ex was framing you for something he did.

9) Ruin the bastard.

10) Don’t look back.

So far, she was up to number four on her list: ‘Decide where to disappear to.’

She had bought a world map and pinned it to the hotel wall, and she stood, holding a dart she had swiped from the motel bar. She closed her eyes, flicking her wrist to send the dart sailing towards the map.

_ Please don’t be somewhere horrid, _ she thought when she heard the dart hit the map with a soft  _ thunk, _ as it pierced a double layer of paper to embed itself in the drywall behind it. Opening her eyes, she approached the map, eyeing the dart with some trepidation.

_ Boone County, West Virginia. Looks like I am going to America. _

Rey smiled, using a sharpie to draw a line through number four on her list.

….

It had been easygoing so far, Rey thought to herself as she looked around what was to be her new home. Boone County was, thankfully, fairly rural, and she had enough cash on her to buy a small trailer on the outskirts of the town. It needed work – but with her degree in structural engineering, it wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle.

Finding a job had even proven to be easy – although she had to prove to the owner of the small garage that she could both diagnose and fix the issue on the small Chevy he had in the bay. It was simple, really, she had been changing alternators out since she was seven.

Fitting in with the people of Boone County was probably the hardest part. She was the newcomer, the ‘girl with the strange accent’, and, as she had overheard one man saying, ‘the furriner’, which - after some careful thought – she realized translated into ‘the foreigner’ in the Queen’s English. She knew it would take time, and so far, everyone had been fairly nice. Still, she felt alone sometimes.

It was better than the alternative, of course. Being in prison – or jobless and destitute on the streets of London was a far worse fate than being lonely in small town America.

As she walked out of the small hardware store, the clerk loading her purchases in the back of the old truck she had bought in Texas, her ears perked up at the sound of an engine rattling nearby. She would know that sound anywhere – it was the sound of an engine that desperately needed a timing adjustment or a new timing belt.

“Hey!” She called after locating the truck. It was parked three spaces from hers, in front of a diner with a sign proclaiming it had the world’s best grits. The man behind the wheel was wearing a dark green shirt with a green  _ John Deere _ ballcap on, and he looked at her curiously as she approached his truck.

“Yes, ma’am? Ya need help with somethin’?” The man’s deep chocolate eyes met hers, a friendly smile coming to his lips as he waited for her response.

“Your engine has a rattle,” Rey said, swallowing hard at the way he was looking at her.

“Yes, ma’am. Been meanin’ to get that looked at.” The man nodded once, putting one large hand out the window for her to shake. “Ya must be the new gal in town. Nice to meetcha, I’m Clyde Logan.”

Rey grabbed his hand, shaking it as she gave him a smile. “Rey Sands. You know, if you bring this over to my place, I can have the timing fixed and a tune-up done for you in no time. I guess it’s not  _ my _ place, per se, but I work there. Lovejoy’s Garage, do you know where that is?”

Clyde nodded at her as he pulled his hand back inside his truck. “Reckon I do.”

Rey nodded, the smile staying on her face. “If you bring it over right after closing, I’ll get it taken care of. It’ll take maybe a couple hours. Lovejoy said I could use the lift after hours if I need to.”

“Only problem with that, ma’am, is that I’ll have to drop ‘er off early and get a ride to work. But, I think I can get it to ya okay. Ya can find me over at the Duck Tape, ya know where that is?” 

Clyde was grinning at her now, and Rey nodded. She had noticed the bar when she had come into town for the first time, thinking the name was odd.

“I do, I could maybe drive the truck over there when I am done with it?”

“Sure. Then maybe ya can have a drink or two, while yer at it.” That grin of his had her nodding in agreement.

“Love to. See you later then? Take it easy on her, okay? At least until you get her to me… then I’ll have her purring like a kitten in no time at all.” Rey grinned back at him.

“I’m sure ya will. Have a good one, Rey.” Clyde tipped his ballcap to her, and Rey found herself blushing, although she wasn’t sure  _ why _ exactly.

….

Around two that afternoon, when Rey was bent halfway into what was remaining of the engine of an old Jeep that the owner  _ refused _ to give up, Rey heard the sound of Clyde’s truck pulling up outside. She waved off the other mechanic, wiping her hands off on a shop cloth as she headed out to where Clyde had parked his truck. A well-maintained Chevy Nova pulled in behind him, a long-legged brunette getting out and coming up to stand beside Clyde as he got out of his truck.

“Nice.. ’73 Nova… six barrel with a 250 Turbo Thrift – unless you’ve made modifications?” Rey’s eyes met Clyde’s before going to the woman’s, and he shrugged apologetically at her.

“I ain’t never been the one to mess with cars. I just drive ‘em. Mellie here, and our brother Jimmy – they are the car folks in the family,” Clyde stated softly, his eyes never leaving Rey.

Mellie took the hint to chime in, smiling at Rey. “Hey there! Been meanin’ to introduce myself, just hadn’t gotten the chance yet. I’m Mellie Logan, Clyde’s sister. How ya likin’ Boone County so far? I heard ya bought old man Tucker’s old trailer. Sad, what happened, his tractor tippin’ over onto him and all. And you were right about my car. No modifications, but I can drive the shit out of it!”

“I’ll bet, I’d love to take a spin in her…” Rey’s eyes were wide with excitement. Even though her degree was in structural engineering, she had always had a deep love affair with muscle cars. Armitage had always scowled when she had drug him to car shows, the pretentious prick always finding a way to stand in the lobby of whatever venue the car show was being held in, doing business on his phone while she salivated over all the vehicles inside.

Maybe she’d buy a ’73 Charger with the money she’d drained from their joint account before she’d left England. She’d put a 440 Magnum in it, with Edelbrock headers and a 6 pack. She could almost hear the engine roaring in her head, a slow grin crawling onto her face as she looked at Mellie.

“We could do that, I kicked Sam Fish’s ass in a quarter mile just last week. Get me your phone number and we’ll talk. Clyde, we gotta get ya over to the bar, so ya can open ‘er up. Ya ready?”

“Yeah. I’ll see ya later, Rey?” Clyde’s voice was hopeful as he looked at her, and she nodded eagerly, her left eye closing in a wink.

“You know it, big guy.”

Rey didn’t think she’d ever seen a man blush as deep as Clyde Logan was as he walked away, his sister looking back over her shoulder with a knowing smirk and a wave of her fingers.

“She’s pretty, ain’t she, Clyde?” Mellie looked at her brother as she backed her car out of the dirt parking lot of the garage, a smirk on her lips as she noticed the blush that was still on Clyde’s face.

“I-“ Clyde ran a hand through his hair, his eyes going back to where Rey was walking back into the garage before he answered his sister. “Yeah, she’s pretty.”

Mellie nodded. “And she’s comin’ into the bar tonight?”

Clyde nodded before looking over at his sister. “Whatever you’re thinkin’, Mel, stop it. Ain’t nobody in this town want me, and Rey is definitely out of my league. No matchmakin’, ya hear me?”

“Sure, Clyde. I hear ya.”

It never occurred to Clyde that while Mellie said she had heard him – she never agreed to anything.

….

It only took Rey two and a half hours to get Clyde’s truck running like it should, and she had even thrown in an oil change and fluid top off for good measure. It was a great improvement, and Rey smiled as she drove it over to the Duck Tape, parking it near the bar before taking the keys out of the ignition and heading inside.

It was a cheery atmosphere inside, with well-polished, aged wood and bar lights combining to make the room seem lighter than it actually was. As she approached the bar, Clyde looked up from cleaning a glass, a grin spreading over his face.

She thought she could look at that smile all the time, if he let her. Truth be told, Clyde Logan was a good-looking man, from his raven tresses to his aquiline nose… but his best feature, Rey thought, were his eyes. They were full of expression, two deep pools of molten chocolate she might very well be able to look into for hours. She hadn’t even noticed that he only had one arm earlier, but as she reached the bar, she saw him tuck it away behind him, like he was embarrassed by it.

She didn’t care – because Clyde Logan was a treat to look at.

“Hey, big guy,” Rey said, smiling as she slid his keys across the bar to him. “She is purring like a kitten now. Topped off your fluids and changed the oil too.”

“Thanks, Rey. What’ll ya have?” Clyde was looking at her with a smile still, and Rey’s eyes drifted to his plush lips for a moment before she licked her lips and answered, “Hmm, how about a bottle of MGD?”

“Comin’ right up,” Clyde said before retrieving an ice-cold bottle from the beer fridge and sliding it to her after popping the top off.

“Thanks!” Rey watched him work, sipping at the beer as she tried not to be obvious in her watching him. She could glance around the room, taking the other people in with interest, yet her eyes always went back to Clyde.

She felt someone slide onto the stool next to her, and glancing over she saw Clyde’s sister, who offered her a cheerful smile. “Hey there, Rey! How ya doin’?”

“I’m doing well, Mellie! How are you?” Rey thought Mellie was one of those people that people just wanted to be around. She was cheerful and pretty, and probably attracted a lot of attention, no matter where she went.

Rey had always been far too reserved. She kept her circle small – although, she didn’t have a circle anymore.

_ Rule seven on your list, Rey. Forget the life you left behind. Also, rule number ten – don’t look back. You’ll find your place here, and you’ll figure out how to get that ginger fuck back somehow. Of course, maybe you should add another rule on there – flirt with Clyde Logan every chance you get. _

“So, Rey, I was thinkin’, ya know it’s the Fourth of July comin’ this week…” Mellie looked at her, and Rey nodded. “That’s, ya know, our Independence Day and all – sorry about renouncin’ your Queen and all – but!” Mellie’s voice grew even more excited now, and her eyes went to her brother, who was mixing up a drink for someone at the opposite end of the bar. “Boone County has our Independence Day celebration and all, and there’s a Carnival, with games and a band – hell, there’s a parade too. My point is, we Logan’s always get together and have us a big picnic all day and go to the Carnival at night to see the fireworks. Would ya like to come along if ya ain’t got plans?”

Rey’s eyes went to Clyde as she worried her bottom lip. Did she want an excuse to maybe get to know him better? Why was she so attracted to someone she had just met?

Mellie’s next words made her decision an easy one. “Clyde’s single, ya know. He thinks you’re pretty – he told me earlier, but he’s self-conscious about his arm and all. Thinks nobody would want a man that’s only got one good arm. Clyde’s as sweet as pie, though, and smart as a whip. Oh, he may look like one of them slow, Southern boys we got around here, all muscles and good looks without a brain in their heads – but Clyde, he’s different then all them. He’s a good guy.”

“Yes,” Rey said without looking away from Clyde. “Count me in. What should I bring to the picnic?”

Mellie let out a squeal of excitement that had Clyde looking over at them both, one brow raised slightly in question. Mellie waved him off, reaching over and grabbing Rey’s arm with a small, well-manicured hand. “Sweetie, you just bring yourself. Ya can come over to my place that mornin’, and lemme work a little of my Mellie Magic with your hair and makeup. Deal?”

“Deal,” Rey said as Mellie took a napkin from the bar, scratching out her number on it with a pen she pulled from her purse.

“In the meantime, just keep makin’ doe eyes at my brother, and I guarantee fireworks are not gonna be the only thing sparkin’ at the Carnival. About damn time, if ya ask me… Clyde needs to be settlin’ down with a good woman.”

Rey wasn’t sure what ‘doe eyes’ meant, but she knew that for the rest of the night, her eyes were mostly on Clyde. In fact, for the next three nights she found herself in the Duck Tape after work, trying to act like she wasn’t watching Clyde Logan – when in fact, her eyes were on him constantly. She could only hope his sister was right, and that the next day’s picnic would turn out the way she hoped – with Clyde Logan kissing her under the fireworks.


	2. Floatin'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> BBQ, a river, a bikini, and fireworks. Can Clyde handle it all?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks to my wonderful beta and moodboard maker - [Azuwrite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuwrite)! Couldn't do it without her!

[](https://imgur.com/ZrkATnu)

Rey looked into the full length mirror, turning from side to side as Mellie stood behind her, bouncing on the balls of her feet excitedly. “Well, whatcha think, Rey?”

Mellie had braided her hair so that it looked like a crown around her head, tucking the back up into the braid. It would keep her hair off her face – which would be welcome in the hot West Virginia sunshine. Mellie had told her they would probably go swimming, and had lent her a bikini – red, white and blue, in celebration of the holiday. Rey had felt ridiculous putting it on – a British girl wearing an American flag bikini? – but she had put it on anyways, covering it with a pretty green sundress and a pair of backless sandals to finish the look.

She had to admit – with the very light, waterproof makeup that Mellie had applied – she looked  _ good _ .

“Clyde’s gonna have himself a fit when he sees ya,” Mellie jumped up and down, clapping her hands together happily.

“I take it that’s a good thing?” Rey asked honestly, and Mellie’s laugh was the only answer she got.

….

As they arrived at the small clearing beside the Little Coal River, Rey could smell something delicious cooking, and as she helped Mellie carry things down towards the riverbank, she looked up to see Clyde watching her, a half-smirk on his face as he approached them.

“Lemme help ya carry that,” he said, trying not to make it obvious that his eyes were travelling over her rather appreciatively. “Ya… ya look real nice, Rey. Thanks for comin’.” His face was flushed, and the tips of his ears were bright red as she caught a glimpse of them peeking out from his hair.

“Thanks, Clyde.” Her eyes moved over him appreciatively. He was wearing a pair of jeans that stretched, ever so enticingly, over well-muscled thighs, a plaid, button down shirt, and a ball cap perched on his mane of thick hair. She was itching to run her fingers through his hair, just to see if it was as silky as it looked.

Clyde took the items out of her hands, turning to move closer to where the rest of the Logan clan was, sitting around in lounge chairs and on large tree stumps. Jimmy was standing next to the grill, a beer in one hand and a shit-eating grin on his face as he threw his spatula up in greeting to Rey. “Hey there, Rey, how ya doin’?”

“Doing well, thanks, Jimmy!” Rey replied back, looking down towards the river, where Sadie was giggling as she waded in the water. Sylvia was watching her from one of the lounge chairs, and she patted the empty one next to her, smiling up at Rey.

Rey smiled back thankfully, feeling out of place as she settled herself into the chair, pulling her sunglasses onto her nose from their perch on her head.

“First fourth of July in America for you?” Sylvia asked, glancing over at Jimmy for a moment before shaking her head slightly. “I swear, if he drinks one more beer, I am goin’ to have to take him home and put him to bed early, and Clyde will have to cook the food.”

Rey looked over at the grill, where Jimmy was tending to the food, his brother towering over him slightly as they talked about something. Clyde looked over at her, giving her another one of his tiny half-smiles, and Rey felt her heart rate increase, a blush creeping over her face again.

“Oh, he’s got it bad for you, darlin’. I haven’t seen Clyde Logan act quite like this before, and we went to school together. I’d say he’s sweet on you already, Rey. Ya like him too?” Sylvia looked at Rey, giving her a smile and reaching over to pat her on the arm. “He’s a good guy. Quiet, but real smart. He’s the thinker of the family. Jimmy and Mellie are the charmers – and Jimmy’s the bullshit artist, obviously.”

Sylvia grinned at her before continuing on, “Oh, he’s a good guy, don’t get me wrong. He loves his daughter, but I swear some days I just wanna choke the shit out of him. In a loving way, of course. But Clyde, he’s as sweet as pie. Did two tours in Iraq, ya know. He was on his way to get transported back home when a roadside bomb went off. He got lucky with only losin’ a hand. Most of the guys in his squad came home in a coffin.”

Rey nodded thoughtfully, looking at Clyde and hoping he wouldn’t notice her staring since she had sunglasses on. He stood, still talking to Jimmy, but his eyes kept shifting to her – until a wet, precocious Sadie came flying up the embankment, hurtling herself into his arms.

“Uncle Clyde! Come down here and help me catchin’ frogs and crawdads! Daddy’s too busy cookin’, and Sylvie, she ain’t into catchin’ bugs!” Sadie’s eyes moved to Rey, and she stilled in Clyde’s arms, looking from Rey back to her Uncle before saying loudly, “Uncle Clyde, did ya go and get yourself a girlfriend? Why ain’t I met her yet? Aunt Mellie told me ya was sweet on someone! Is that her?”

“Hush, Sadiebug,” Jimmy said, flipping over a burger. “Uncle Clyde ain’t asked Rey to be his gal yet, no matter how sweet on her he might be.”

Sylvia let out a chuckle beside Rey, looking over at her and remarking, “Well, there ya have it. Welcome to the family, whether ya like it or not!”

….

As it turned out, Rey was pretty good at catching crawdads, after some careful tutelage from her ten-year-old teacher. “How many ya got now, Rey?” Sadie peered down into the green plastic bucket that Rey had been putting her catches in, counting to herself. “Ya got seventeen, that’s pretty good for your first time!”

“Is it now?” Rey’s eyes went up the bank to where Clyde was sitting on a tree stump, talking to Mellie and Joe Bang.

“Yeah, that’s really good. Hey, where’s your funny accent from? I like how ya say some words,” Sadie squinted up at her. “Ya like my Uncle Clyde, dontcha? He’s been lookin’ over here atcha a lot today. He ain’t had a gal in a long time. Guess he feels kinda funny ‘bout his arm and all. Does that bother ya at all?”

“No, it doesn’t. And to answer your previous question, I am from England originally.” Rey smiled at the little girl, focusing her attention up the bank as Mellie appeared.

“Y’all ready to go floatin’?” Mellie smiled brightly at Rey’s obvious confusion. “Ya never done it before, sorry. Ya just take these big ole inner tubes, and ya go floatin’ a little ways down the river and back. It’s relaxin’.”

“Oh, um, sure. I guess.” Rey smiled as both Mellie and Sadie jumped up and down in excitement before she scrambled back up the bank. Clyde had moved to one of the lounge chairs and was reading a book, oblivious to the happy shrieks coming from the water as Jimmy barreled in to toss Sadie in playfully.

“Hey, big guy,” Rey said softly, and Clyde looked up at her and gave her another of his smiles.

“Hey, Rey, ya doin’ okay? I know my family can be a bit much.”

“They’re lovely, actually, Clyde. Are you going… floating… with us?” Rey offered him a smile in return.

“Nah, that ain’t my thing. I’m content sittin’ here, readin’ and makin’ sure no one makes off with any of our stuff. Ya go and have fun, though.”

“Are you sure? I could stay and keep you company, if you want.” Rey moved closer to him, giving him another smile.

“Nah, ya go on ahead. Sadie has taken a likin’ to ya. Sylvie and Mellie too. Have fun.” Clyde looked up at her, almost losing his ability to breath as he realized how beautiful she was.

“Alright, as long as you’re sure,” Rey said, before reaching now and pulling her sundress up and over her head, revealing a bikini sporting an American flag. She kicked off her sandals before grinning at Clyde and wiggling her fingers at him before she turned and joined his family in the water.

Clyde gulped, trying not to stare at Rey’s perfect body, her sun-kissed skin finally revealed to him as she took off her sundress in anticipation of being in the water. He shouldn’t be staring at her beyond perfect ass as she walked away, heading back down to the water – but he couldn’t take his eyes off her, even after she had settled herself into an inner tube and had started floating down river with Sadie and Mellie – a beer in hand as she did so.

He had it bad, for sure. Rey was a remarkable woman – far too perfect for an awkward bartender with one hand.

….

Rey knew she had given an eyeful to Clyde, and she regretted nothing. The way he flushed deliciously, those warm chocolate eyes of his moving slowly over her before she walked away. Mellie had even noticed, giving her a thumbs up as she hopped into an inner tube.

“He ain’t gonna be able to take his eyes off you the rest of the night, Rey. Ya done good. I thought his eyes was gonna pop clear outta his head!” Mellie was grinning before Jimmy chimed in.

“Shit, Mel, every man in a mile wide radius is gonna have their eyes on ya both! But, Mel’s right, Rey. Clyde’s got it bad for ya. If ya want my advice, ya gotta take the initiative with him. Make the first move. Clyde ain’t smooth like me, ya see. He’s all awkward and shit, cuz of his hand.” Jimmy directed his tube closer to Rey, handing her an ice cold beer. “Do ya like him?”

Rey flushed before Sylvia reached out, whacking Jimmy across the shoulder lightly. “That ain’t none of your business, Jimmy Logan! That’s between Rey and Clyde, ya hear me?”

“Ouch, woman, I swear. You’re gonna be the death of me someday!” Jimmy whined, eliciting a giggle from all the females, including Sadie.

Rey had to admit – floating down the Little Coal River was relaxing. As they made their way back to the spot they had started from, Rey waved at Clyde, who was watching them from the chair with a little smirk on his face. He waved back, and she could see him blushing even from where she was on the water.

They made their way out of the water and up onto the bank once more, as the cicadas started their evening song and the sky started to dim slightly. Just as she started to help Mellie pack everything up, a strange male voice rang out.

“Now, that’s funny. Ya been throwin’ tea in the river?” Sam Bang chuckled as he approached the group with his brother, Fish, both their eyes raking over both Rey and Mellie. “I’m thinkin’ we should be offended, Fish, how ‘bout you? British girl, wearin’ our great flag like she is…” Sam’s eyes were still on Rey when another voice chimed in, this one low and angry sounding.

“And I’m a thinkin’ ya best be apologizin’ to Miss Rey, Sam. You  _ and _ Fish. And get yer eyes off her, she ain’t a piece of meat, neither.” Clyde strode up to the group, positioning himself in front of Rey and Mellie both, so that two-thirds of the Bang brothers didn’t have any other choice but to look at him or the ground.

“I’m sorry, Miss Rey,” both brothers said at once. “Y’all have a good day!” Turning, they slunk off to wherever it was they had appeared from, and Clyde turned to look at Rey.

“Ya okay, darlin’? I can go throttle ‘em one, if ya want.” Clyde’s eyes were dark with anger, and Rey gave him a smile.

“No throttling, Clyde. Thank you.”

They packed up everything as quickly as they could, and as Rey slipped her sundress back over her bikini, she found Clyde’s eyes wandering over her body slowly once more. With a small grin, Rey approached him as he folded up a lounge chair to put into the back of his truck. Leaning in close to him, Rey said softly, “See something you like, big guy?”

Clyde’s face turned bright red, his eyes widening slightly as he muttered, “I… I’m sorry. I know better than ta stare, my Momma taught me better’n’ that, but, ya… ya look so beautiful, ya take my breath away.” Clyde adjusted his hat before his hand ran through the hair hanging down his neck. “If I made ya uncomfortable, I’m sorry. If ya want, I can drop ya off at your place, or Mellie can-“

“Clyde Logan!” Rey said, reaching out with one hand, placing it on his upper arm. “Stop. I like having you look at me like that. You make me feel beautiful.”

Clyde eyes met hers, that slow smile that Rey loved so much already coming onto his lips as he drawled, “Because ya are beautiful. You’re like an angel.”

“Well, just for that, I might very well kiss you later tonight, Mr. Logan. Hurry up and get stuff packed up so we can go to this carnival Mellie has told me so much about.” Rey winked at him, turning to help Mellie pack up the rest of the food.

….

The carnival was a cacophony of bright lights, noise and tantalizing smells that had Rey smiling as she clutched Clyde’s arm, bouncing on her feet as she tried to take everything in. Growing up in foster care in England, she had missed out on many things that people took for granted.

Clyde just watched her take everything in, letting her pull him wherever she wanted to go. There wasn’t much he wouldn’t do for her, he thought to himself, especially if she kept smiling at him like she was. She had come into his life like some kind of tornado, and he was terrified she would disappear like one as well, sucked back up into the clouds to move on to her next location, leaving behind nothing but destruction in her wake.

“You’re quiet,” Rey remarked later, as they watched Sadie tossing darts at balloons to try and win a stuffed animal.

“Yep. Always have been. Never been a talker, that’s Jimmy and Mels.” Clyde looked at Rey, reaching up with his good hand to wipe away a crumb that had settled at the corner of her perfect lips. “Ya got a crumb there, lemme get it,” he stilled as Rey reached up and grabbed his hand, kissing the tips of each finger as she looked into his eyes.

“I like you, Clyde,” Rey breathed, moving closer to him, her eyes never leaving his.

“I like you too, Rey,” Clyde said slowly, barely breathing as Rey moved even closer, her lips hovering mere inches from his. If he just dipped his head a little, he could kiss her, and then –

Sadie appeared next to them, tugging at Clyde’s shirt. “Uncle Clyde, c’mon, Daddy says yer better at this dart thing than I am! I want that stuffed unicorn, and… ya can help me get it, right, Uncle Clyde?”

Clyde half-smiled at Rey apologetically before looking down at his niece. “I reckon I can, Sadiebug. Let’s give ‘er a whirl?”

….

They wandered through the vendor’s carts and games, and Rey didn’t exactly remember just when she had grabbed Clyde’s hand, but she felt completely at ease with his fingers interlaced with hers, After it was dark, he led her to a large open area, where Mellie and Jimmy had laid out several large blankets for them all to sit on.

Clyde settled himself onto one of the blankets, his heart starting to beat faster as Rey settled herself between his legs. She half-turned to look up at him, her hazel eyes shining as she asked, “Is this okay? Me sitting here like this?”

“Oh yes, darlin’. It’s just fine,” Clyde answered, giving her a smile before wrapping his arm around her shoulder as she settled back onto his chest more. As the fireworks started, Clyde watched Rey instead of the sky, loving how the lights from the pyrotechnics danced in her eyes and perfect skin.

Rey half-turned again, looking back at Clyde with a smile on her face. “It’s so beautiful!” She said, and Clyde smiled back before bringing up his hand, his fingers brushing over her cheek softly.

“Yeah, it’s beautiful all right.”

Time seemed to stop as he pressed his lips to hers, the explosions above them drawing to a crescendo of light and sound as multiple mortars and shells flew heavenwards, the booms and flashes of light the backdrop for the best kiss of his life.

Rey’s lips were soft, and as she ran her tongue over the seam of his lips, Clyde granted her entrance, pulling her even closer as her arms went around his neck, her hands burying themselves in the hair that fell against his neck. His own good hand dove deep into her silky tresses, and he never wanted their kiss to end as they explored each other’s mouths until long after the fireworks show was over, only stopping when they realized people were packing up around them to leave.

Clyde leaned his forehead against hers, looking into her eyes as he said quietly, “That was incredible. Do ya… do ya wanna be my gal, Rey?” Clyde’s was hopeful as he gazed into her eyes, his heart pounding away in his chest as he waited for her reply.

Luckily, she didn’t make him wait long before replying, “Yes, Clyde. I do. Very much.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments and kudos, and mash that subscribe button if you like what you see! <3
> 
> Come visit me on tumblr: [my-jedi-life](https://my-jedi-life.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And on the twitter: [MyJediLife](https://twitter.com/MyJediLife) (All the twitters - I know them!)

**Author's Note:**

> Leave comments and kudos, and mash that subscribe button if you like what you see! <3
> 
> Come visit me on tumblr:[my-jedi-life](https://my-jedi-life.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And on the twitter: [MyJediLife](https://twitter.com/MyJediLife)


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